Renewable energy? We're not whistling in the wind

Last week in Parliament the Liberal and National parties voted for a 12-month moratorium on wind energy developments. Such a moratorium would effectively kill this emerging industry at a pivotal moment in its development. It would send more than $1 billion of potential investment and hundreds of jobs in the wind energy industry interstate.

While they are content to play politics on this important issue, the Opposition must realise that there will be no moratorium on climate change. Indeed, National Party upper house leader Peter Hall is not even convinced there is a greenhouse issue facing Victoria, arguing "the jury is still out" on climate change.

The Government cannot afford to take its responsibilities so lightly. We recognise the need to ensure Victoria plays its role in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Renewable energy sources, such as wind, are important to this strategy.

It is paradoxical that the Opposition opposes action to reduce greenhouse emissions that will help ensure our precious coastal areas and their ecosystems are protected from the impacts of climate change.

Opposition planning spokesman Ted Baillieu's scaremongering (this page, September 20) on wind energy does not stand up to scrutiny. His article is full of inconsistencies and inaccuracies.

The Bracks Government has a target of 1000 megawatts of wind energy capacity, which will be provided by about 500 turbines. Up to 10 per cent of all electricity generated in Victoria could come from wind power. Not 2000 megawatts of capacity and 1500 turbines as Mr Baillieu states.

In meeting this target, we will reduce greenhouse pollution by the equivalent of approximately 4 million tonnes a year - equivalent to taking 920,000 cars off our roads.

It is also untrue to suggest the Government is promoting wind development only in the coastal regions. Already more than half of Victoria's installed wind energy capacity is inland.

Despite Opposition attempts to whip up hysteria, we have said we will protect the Great Ocean Road and other sensitive areas around the state.

In order to ensure sensitive areas are protected, the Bracks Government released stringent planning guidelines in August 2002. These exclude national parks and all land reserved under the National Parks Act from wind energy facilities. The wind farm guidelines also take into account environmental, Aboriginal heritage and landscape values.

The Government's approval of the Portland Wind Energy Project was made after a long planning process that assessed all the economic, social and environmental impacts of the project. And the Government acted to protect the environment by ensuring that seven turbines would not be built on the tip of Cape Bridgewater.

The Opposition is divided on the issue. Last Friday, former leader Denis Napthine gave his support to the Codrington wind farm and the Portland Wind Energy Project. He has also said he would like Portland to be the "renewable energy hub" of Australia. And shadow energy spokesman Bill Forwood has publicly supported keeping the Mandatory Renewable Energy Target to allow further wind energy development.

Ted Baillieu and his present leader Robert Doyle, on the other hand, do not support either the Portland project or more wind energy developments in this state. They regard the wind energy industry as a quaint novelty, not an important part of our total energy mix. This attitude can only be of benefit to the wind energy industry in other states and to other forms of energy production using non-renewable sources, such as coal.

A moratorium now on wind energy would lead to the benefits of a thriving industry going to other states and to the loss of hundreds of jobs in rural Victoria. It would entrench our reliance on other non-renewable forms of energy production and add millions of tonnes of greenhouse pollution each year.

Do the Opposition and Mr Baillieu expect a responsible Government to forgo jobs for regional Victoria and abandon responsibility for reducing greenhouse emissions? Victorians overwhelmingly support renewable energy alternatives, including wind developments, as part of meeting our environmental responsibilities.

The Bracks Government will ensure it meets its renewable energy targets and we will do so while protecting the landscape and tourism areas of our state.